Before Thomas Rhett and his wife, Lauren Akins, decided to adopt their oldest daughter, Willa Gray, from Uganda, they never had a formal discussion of when or how they would adopt a child. But for Lauren, the idea of adoption has been with her for her whole life, since her mother, Lisa, was adopted.

“I always like to say that I’m a product of a really healthy adopted family,” Lauren told Good Morning America. “It’s always something that I think, in my heart, thought I really wanted to do, but it’s not something that Thomas Rhett and I were really set on when we were married. It was something we talked about, but we didn’t know when we would do it or what it would look like.”

Still, adoption wasn’t in the forefront of Lauren’s mind when she traveled to Uganda, until she met Willa Gray, who is now their daughter.

“We saw where there was a family to be made with her, and we were ready to have a family,” Lauren said. “It just kind of fell into place. It was so perfect. It wasn’t something that we had been trying to do first or last or second, and we actually had been trying to get pregnant for about six months before that.”

“We weren’t concerned or anything about me not being able to get pregnant, but both of us were thinking we’re ready to start a family,” she added.

Thomas and Lauren are also proud parents to 2-year-old Ada James and 3-month-old Lennon Love. Although parenting three young children has its challenges, Lauren is incredibly proud of the way her oldest two daughters have taken to their baby sister.

“Anytime I have to change the diaper or feed her or when she gets a bath, [Ada James] and Willa Gray both want to be right there front and center helping out, doing anything they can,” the proud mom boasted.

“They’re ready for her to be able to play with them,” she continued. “They’re always wanting her to dress up with them in their princess dresses. She’s a little too small for that right now, but one day I don’t think she’ll have a choice. They’re gonna stick that dress on her and she’s just gonna have to deal with it.”

Lauren details their adoption journey, and other stories from her 8-year marriage to Thomas, in her upcoming memoir, Live in Love: Growing Together Through Life’s Changes. The book, which will be available on August 18, is currently available for pre-order at Amazon.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of The GreenRoom PR / Julie Paisley